Annual Milford Portuguese Picnic returns this weekend

MILFORD - The smell of roasted chicken, steak and linguica will hang heavy in the air of Prospect Heights this weekend as one of the town’s biggest, yearly bashes returns.

The Milford Portuguese Club’s Annual Picnic will commence Saturday afternoon when attendees are bound to serve up some of that meat over open flames - one of the event’s biggest draws, according to Victor Cerqueira, a club vice president.

Linguica sandwiches, tripe, beef stew, rotisserie chicken and more is all on the menu this year.

“The food is always the big demand...a lot of people come down just for the food,” said Cerqueira, at the club Friday as members were busy making preparations for the two-day festival of food, music and culture.

It’s a lot of work, all done by volunteers, that the club has carried out for at least 75 years, Cerqueira said.

The picnic originated as a family reunion of sorts - a way to keep alive the traditions many had during their days in Portugal.

And these days, much of that sentiment is still around.

Cerqueira said lots of people who grew up attending the picnic as children come back now as adults with their own families.

“It brings a lot of family and friends together,” he said. “Even though it’s a small town, you don’t see a lot of people.”

There's sure to be quite a crowd this weekend, with about 10,000 in attendance that come out every year from all over New England.

Organizers are slated to have rotating shifts of about 50 volunteers each day, according to Cerqueira.

Besides the food, picnicgoers can catch live music all afternoon Saturday and then again at 7:30 p.m. when the Luis Neves Show takes the stage until midnight.

On Sunday, the fire pit lights up again at 12 p.m. for food. The annual parade kicks off at Saint Mary’s Church on Winter Street at 2 p.m., before making its way over to the Portuguese Club, at 119 Prospect Heights.

From 4:30 p.m. onward, crowds can check out folklore dancing performances and live music through 11 p.m.

Christopher Gavin can be reached at 508 634-7582 or cgavin@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @c_gavinMDN